■ adjective relating to monks, nuns, etc., or the buildings in which they live.
↘resembling monks or their way of life, especially in being austere or celibate.
■ noun a monk or other member of a ~ order.
Derivatives
~ally adverb
~ism noun
Origin
ME: from late L. ~us , from Gk monastikos , from monazein 'live alone'.